He promised
by SweetSpiritsong
Summary: When Gandalf doesnt arrive quite on time at the Goblin kingdom, and the Goblin King is still intent on finding out the dwarves quest by torture, Fili remembers a promise he made and he must keep it, for Kilis sake.


Fili woke to the sound of sand falling through cracks. At first he thought it was Bombur cooking breakfast, the sand hissing like grease in a frying pan.

But then the world began to tilt.

Fili felt the hard rock beneath him pull away, turning inward. Heart clenching as he failed to grasp the edge he quickly shot a worried glance to his younger brother before plunging into darkness.

Thorins deep reassuring voice bellowed something which Fili failed to hear as he landed painfully on the cold hard ground. The other dwarves followed quickly, landing with grunts and curses all around him.

Fili pulled himself up, heart racing as a troop of snarling Goblins ran toward them, hissing and spitting. He felt Kili grab his arm, brown eyes wide. _Don't worry little brother; I won't let them hurt you. I promised mother, I promised Thorin. _

He didn't say it out loud. He would have been met with defiant protests that Kili could fend for himself. Which he could, he was the best bowman and a fierce fighter. But it was Fili's job, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Fili raised his sword at the oncoming goblins, grinning at the challenge. With a cry he leapt at them, only at last minute seeing their numbers.

He plunged his sword into a goblins chest, knocking another one off the side of a hug abyss before realizing there were too many. _Far_ too many.

Three Goblins leapt at him, grabbing his arms, others yanked his sword away from him giggling maliciously. Fili looked around frantically, struggling against the leathery goblins that held him tightly.

The other dwarves were in the same position. Thorin pushed and cursed violently, goblins jumped onto his back only to be flung off and replaced by more. Kili was snarling at his captors, but wasn't able to go against the tide. None of them were.

With force the goblins pushed and pulled their captives into a huge cavern, one to rival the dwarves only in size not beauty. Rickety wooden bridges and ladders were scattered everywhere in a dimly lit underground goblin kingdom.

The hoard of Goblins suddenly pulled them to a stop, gripping on tightly. Fili lashed out, breaking from one of his holders before another two grabbed onto him, scrapping their nails up his arm.

Fili nodded to a scowling Kili who was tensed beside him.

"Well well well…" a huge voice roared. Fili looked up to see a huge Goblin, the ugliest being he had ever had the displeasure of laying eyes on. Its stomach was wider than it was tall, boils and warts covered its body and folds of fat upon fat wobbled as he climbed down upon a pile of dead, very squished goblins.

The smell was the worst. He smelt of rotten food and flesh, almost as bad as the troll cave they had come across.

Next to him Bofur gagged, turning his head away. He locked eyes with Fili, the usual playful glint still in his eyes; he nodded slightly almost as if to say everything was going to be alright.

"Take away their arms!" The great goblin boomed, shaking the rock they stood on. Goblins hurriedly snatched their weapons, throwing them to the ground.

Fili watched as Thorin stood still, glaring at the king as his weapons were taken.

"Now what do we have here?" The Goblin king finally asked, peering at them with large yellow eyes.

Silence followed as they all glared defiantly, some still struggling against their captors.

The Goblin grinned, clapping his hands together. "Well, I suppose if you won't talk…I will have to make you talk!"  
Squawks of laughter echoed loudly around the underground kingdom from the excited goblins, eager for a show.

Fili felt Kili freeze next to him as the Goblin turned toward him "I'm sure the youngest will break first…"

Fili's eyes widened, heart beating. Not Kili.

"NO!" he cried as the goblin reached for his brother, pushing against the goblins.

"Wait!" a deep voice thundered, Fili watched as Thorin stepped forward, revealing his face to the King.

"Ah" The Goblin smiled, teeth gnashing together. "Thorin Oakenshield, now this…this I was not expecting." He stomped his feet in excitement. "I know somebody that would pay a pretty price for your head…"

Thorins eyes narrowed, clenching his fists he looked questioningly toward the goblin. The Great Goblin refused to say anymore, smiling as if he knew something no one else did.

"Now, why did you come to my Kingdom?" The king roared, waving his large arms creating deafening screeches from his minions.

Thorin glared at the goblin. Fili knew that he would never give up their quest, never loose his home again as they would if the goblins found out. So the rest of them must remain silent too. They must follow their king.

"You will not say?" The goblin pouted, feigning annoyance at the stubborn dwarves. "Well it looks as if we will need the machines after all!"

Fili's head shot up as more sadistic laughter from the goblins bounced around. He also heard something else, wheels. Creaks of old wheels were audible above the racket, and soon Fili saw as Goblins struggled to push large, threatening machines up a narrow path.

Fili shivered.

Where was Gandalf? Surely he would be there soon?

The Great Goblin chuckled as he reached for Kili once more, his brothers defiant eyes quickly replaced with fear. Though he tried not to show it.

"No!" Fili cried once more, leaping forward. Goblins snarled and hissed at him as they pulled him back, gripping him around the middle.

Kili nodded at him, as he was pulled to the front. _I'll be fine_. Fili shook his head "Leave him alone!" He howled as the machines were finally brought to the front.

The Great goblin pulled Kili toward him, running his huge, leathery hand down his face.

"And who are you…hmm?" he asked patronizingly.

Kili screwed up his nose and spat in the goblins face. The kings' jowls wobbled in anger before he struck Kili across the face, sending him to the floor.

Fili yelped for his brother, struggling harder against the goblins. He looked frantically toward Thorin who met his gaze worriedly. He did not know what to do. They were stuck, trapped by a thousand goblins and they could do nothing about it.

But Fili promised.

"Stop!" Fili cried, voice breaking slightly as he saw that the Goblin had pulled Kili back to his feet. "I am the youngest!"  
Kili's eyebrows shot up, blood pouring from his lip. He shook his head. _No_.

The Goblins lip curled in amusement. "Really?" he asked, attaching Kili to one of the machines they had brought up.

Fili nodded furiously "yes, take me instead!"

"No!" Kili cried, pulling against the goblins as they began to tie him to the wood.  
_"Kili…"_ he heard Thorin growl softly, avoiding eye contact with Fili. Fili nodded, he knew Thorin would rather have him up there than their youngest. So would Fili, he could handle the pain if it meant his brother would be spared.

"Why do I not believe you?" The goblin sneered as he tied Kili's hands to the top of a wooden device and his feet to the bottom. Fili winced, pulling hard causing more Goblin scratches down his arm.

"Right!" The king said eagerly, bored of Fili. He turned toward Kili "Tell me why you journeyed here?"  
Kili struggled against his ties "We didn't…we are just going to…Moria"

The Goblin narrowed his beady yellow eyes and shook his head "_Wrong"_

With a flick of his hand one of his minions ran forward and pulled on a handle attached to the machine, slowly gears began to move and it seemed as if the wood was stretching out.

The bonds began pulling his arms up and his legs down. Kili cried out in agony.

"This will make you a taller dwarf!" The goblin chuckled.

"STOP this please!" Fili cried, lashing out in every direction to try and get closer to his brother.  
He heard yells and cries from the other dwarves, pained at seeing their youngest in such a position. Thorin said nothing; he stood glaring with such hatred at the Goblin. Fili clenched his fists, he had made a promise.

Kili screamed once more. Fili yelled in his brother agony, ripping his arm free of one of the goblins he pushed violently, with more strength than he ever had before. The Goblin flew off the edge of the platform.

Kili cried out in such a way Fili had never heard before. It was worse than anything he could possibly imagine, chilling him to the bone. He felt his bones stretch as if he were his brother, willing the pain on himself. Kili's head rolled back as Fili kicked and yelled, sending a few more stunned Goblins over the edge. The King suddenly shot out, grabbing onto Fili's arms tightly.

The sound of the machine stopped, a blissful silence filled the air. Fili heard as Kili gasped for air, sweat dripped down his extremely pale face.

The Goblin looked at Fili with annoyance, brows furrowed. "We have a fighter here…" he snarled, grinning at the goblins.

Fili nodded "Please, leave him be! He is just a kid!"  
He heard Kili shift, protesting weakly. The Goblin rolled his beady eyes "I will break him, he will be easiest. If he dies then I'll move onto you, be patient and wait you're turn." The Goblin made a move to push Fili back.

Fili shook his head "You are torturing him for nothing!" he said, an idea coming to him.

The Goblin turned back, opening his mouth calculatingly "Why?" he spat.

Fili looked nervously toward Thorin, who closed his eyes and lowered his head, caught in a moral dilemma. Fili couldn't feel hatred toward him, he knew how important the quest was and that it needed to be kept secret. It was Fili's job anyway, to look after Kili.

"Because we haven't told him anything." Fili explained confidently "We brought him along because we needed to take him with us, but he doesn't know anything about what we are _actually _doing."

The Goblin looked at him then back at Kili, his head turning almost comically between the two.

He screwed up his face in annoyance "And what is it…you are _actually_ doing?"

Fili glared at him "That is no concern of yours."

The other dwarves of the company were silent, looking on sadly, ashamed even that there was nothing they could do. The Goblin would not believe them that Fili did not know either, so he would start with him now and continue on up.

After a long period of silence the Goblin King grabbed Fili's arms again and forced him to a long piece of wood next to Kili's. He tied his arms down tightly and began rustling in a box next to his throne.

Fili turned toward Kili whose head fell limply, he whimpered in pain.

"Everything's going to be alright Kil," Fili whispered, no torture could be any worse than seeing his brother in pain.

The Goblin turned back to the dwarves that were being held by the Goblins with a bottle in his hand. He chuckled manically, holding up the red liquid.

"This is a concoction I have made which I am rather proud of" he boasted, the platform wobbling as he moved. "It made it for entertainment purposes, said to cause a pain as if being burned alive. I suppose it will come in handy now…"

He turned back toward Kili, nostrils flaring. "You have one chance to tell me…what are you doing?"  
Fili looked up darkly "You will regret this." He hissed, thinking only of Kili.

The Goblin shrugged before grabbing Fili's hair and yanking his head back, another Goblin ran forward to hold his jaw and Fili closed his eyes as he felt the liquid slide down his throat.

At first he felt nothing.

Then the pain was worse than anything Fili had ever imagined. A thousand needles pierced his skin, fire roared through his body. He Groaned and screamed in anguish, pulling against his bounds.

There was no end to it.

It just kept coming, wave upon wave of fire. Stabbing, ripping and suffocating sensations rippled through him all at the same time.

He could see no end.

He wished for death. Calm, quiet death. An end to the pain…

It stopped. Fili gasped, panting for breath. He shook uncontrollably upon the wood.

Next to him he felt Kili's wide eyes on him, tears filled them. Fili smiled weakly. _I'm ok little brother…_

The Goblin clapped his hands together slowly "Now, tell me all you know or you will get the rest?" He held up the bottle, the red liquid sloshed around.

Fili swallowed dryly, wanting anything but that. "We are…" he choked, watching as Thorin looked up quickly. _Have more faith in me uncle..._ "We are never going to tell you. So you will have to kill all of us" Fili gasped. The Goblin let out a frustrated cry, slamming Fili's head into the board and pouring the rest of the liquid violently down his throat.

Fili heard the cries from various dwarves, loudest from Kili, for him to stop but it was too late. The pain was back.

It began in his feet, ripping, roaring through his body. His bones felt as if they were breaking one by one, snapping in heat. Flying, deafening, sense erasing heat that took over his body.

Searing, it was searing.

It seemed as if wargs dug their teeth into every inch of his body, tearing at his skin.

Too much. He couldn't take it.

His screams filled his ears, but they didn't sound like his. His skin must be melting. Flesh boiling.

He had to tell him, he had to make it stop, make it stop, make it stop…_Kili…_think of Kili. If he told the Goblin Kili would never have a home, never have somewhere to belong.

But he needed to make it…

"STOP!" Thorins cry made his eyes fly open, pain vanishing though not from memory. Fili panted, blinking to stay from passing out.

Looking down he was surprised to find his body was not charred at all, he was still Fili. Though he was glad for his bounds now or else he would be unable to hold himself up.

Kili was sobbing. Fili couldn't lift his head to look at him, it was too heavy.

"Stop" Thorin said again, Fili heard him move to the front. "I will tell you."

Fili tried to raise his head "No" he croaked, throat dry and hoarse from screaming.

Thorin coughed "we are on this journey too…"

Fili shook his head weakly, _they needed a home._

"We are looking for another Arkenstone." Thorin said quickly, a gasp emanated from the Goblin.

"In my Kingdom?" he cried, stomping excitedly.

Thorin nodded "We had heard rumors of its presence. We did not want to tell you because you would find it first."

The Goblin squealed, waving his hand to encourage his minions to join in.

He stopped suddenly, eyes narrowing.

"How do I know you are telling me the truth?" he questioned doubtfully.

Thorin shrugged, eyes focused on his nephews "You just will."

The Goblin stood for a while, contemplating, before finally turning back toward Fili and pulling on him. Fili cried out in pain as the Goblin strained him so much that the bounds broke; he flew into the Goblins arms, body shaking violently.

"Where have you heard the stone is?" The Goblin hissed at Thorin, wrapping his arm tightly around Fili.

Thorin looked toward Kili, a flash of fear in his eyes, "Beneath the cave we were in." his voice wavered as the Goblins scowl deepened.

"YOU LIE!" he screamed "There is nothing there! I've checked!"  
Thorin shook his head frantically "There is…there is!"

The Goblin roared, grabbing a metal chain off of the floor he flung it at Fili, the chain flew into his ribs with huge force; Fili was thrown to the floor, crying in pain.

The Goblin walked over to Fili, finally sick of his games and placed his foot on top of Fili's side.

"Tell me or he dies" The King roared, putting more force onto his foot. Fili gasped as one of his ribs gave a resounding crack, pain washed over him. It was the fire all over again, except this time it was actually happening.

"Fili!" Kili screamed as Thorin did not say anything.

Fili looked at his brother as the pain began to take over, his mischievous, fierce, loving brother who should never have come on the journey, but Thorin had needed Fili and therefore had to have Kili aswell.

Fili smiled weakly at him, eyes fluttering to a close. He had done his job, kept his promise. The foot pressed harder down on him.

Fili vaguely heard a booming voice, whether it was Thorin, the Goblin or someone entirely different he did not know.

There was a Flash of bright light, sound of metal against metal and then nothing.

Fili awoke to arguing.

"In _Durins_ name Kili, I couldn't tell him can't you understand that?" Thorin said exasperatedly

"You chose this quest over your family!" Kili yelled rather heatedly.

"He would have killed us anyway laddie!" Balin added in, trying to diffuse the tension.

Fili opened his eyes. They were in a large forest clearing; a fire was in the middle surrounded by Bofur and Bombur. The other dwarves sat tiredly except for his uncle and brother who stood before each other.

"If it weren't for Gandalf he would have died! My brother, _your _nephew!" Kili hissed, gesturing toward a dark shadow who sat beneath a tree. Gandalf. He had come; he was the voice, the bright light.

"Kili, tis…alright." Fili breathed, smiling despite his pain at his brother.

Kili's eyes widened and he raced over to his brother. He cupped his hand around Fili's face, tears streaming down his own.

"Oh Fili" he gasped, putting his forehead against Fili's "Don't you _ever_ do that again!"  
Fili rolled his eyes "Tis my…job to save…you Kili" he gasped for breath, a shot of pain shooting up his ribs "I promised"

"Don't you think it goes both ways? I get to protect you too" Kili scolded, shaking his head lovingly at his brother.

The other dwarves looked on affectionately at the younger ones, glad to have them safe. Thorin walked over to the two of them, kneeling down he placed a hand on Fili's head.

"I have never been more proud of you." He whispered, tears forming in his eyes "The both of you." He wrapped his arm around Kili, who didn't shrug him off.

Fili smiled "It's our home were fighting for too." He said weakly.

Thorin smiled "Aye, it is. One day I will be King of Erebor and you will both be by my side, as my nephews…as my sons."  
Kili smirked "No need to get all sentimental Uncle."

Thorin laughed his rare laugh, Fili smiled closing his eyes. Thinking of when that wondrous day would arrive and just for a moment, he was at peace.


End file.
